GENERAL NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 18764, 31 December 1930, Page 8

GENERAL NEWS.

A cable message reports that the new Lord Mayor of Sydney, Alderman Jackson, M.L.A., has been sworn in. He will take office on New Year’s Day.

At the last Pleasant Point sale, which was considered “the opening of the fat lamb season, the yarding generally was well up to expectations. The top price for the sale was secured for a pen of lambs offered on account of Mr John Kelliher, of Woodbank, Albury, the price under the hammer being 22/3.

The gate takings for the CanterburyAuckland Plunket Shield match constitute a Christchurch record, amounting to £662. The previous highest figure for an interprovincial match was established in 1925 against Wellington, when the takings were £420 1/6. In 1924 £357 4/6 was taken, and in 1926 £351. Both these matches were against Auckland. Over £665 was taken last year in the game with the M.C.C. team.

The retail price index (Dominion weighed average), for the three food groups as at November 15, according to the Statistician’s office, was 1486, a decrease of six points compared with the previous month, and an increase of 38.9 per cent, over that of July, 1914. Decline in butter prices was the main factor, although meat was cheaper in some centres. It is computed that it now takes £1 11s Id to purchase food, clothin, rent, fuel, light etc., which could be bought for £1 in 1914.

The most expensive mail that has ever reached New Zealand arrived at Auckland from Los Angeles by the Oceanic and Oriental Navigation Company’s steamer Golden Cross, states the “New Zealand Herald.” The vessel brought only one bag of ordinary mail, and for the carriage of it to New Zealand the vessel’s owners will receive £2866 The freight charges on the bag of mail are exceptionally high because the Oceanic and Oriental Navigation Company is paid a subsidy by the United States Government for bringing mail to New Zealand. The subsidy is at the rate of about 10/6 a nautical mile, or about £2866 a voyage. The company runs a monthly service to New Zealand, the vessels bringing lumber, case oil, and general cargo from Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, Dunedin, and Gisborne. The steamers are scheduled to leave Los Angeles on the first of each month, and to reach Auckland 27 days later. The yearly subsidy paid by the United States Government for the service is about £34,392, which is only £II,OOO less than the Union Company receives from the New Zealand Government for running the San Francisco and Vancouver mail services to New Zealand. The Union- Company’s subsidy for the San Francisco service is £25,000, and for the Vancouver service, £20,000. For the combined services the fast liners Aorangi, Niagara, Makura, and Monowai are utilised, and one of the four vessels reaches New Zealand every two weeks. They cover the distance between Vancouver and Auckland, or between San Francisco and Wellington, in 18 days, and the mail brought by each vessel to New Zealand generally totals about 2000 bags. The mail brought by the Golden Cross recently is the smallest amount brought by any of the Golden steamers since the Oceanic and Oriental Company obtained the mail contract in 1928. Trout are running well, and big bags have been taken. There’s plenty of real fun and sport before you during the holidays if you take the correct tackle and flies. In England, Mcßae’s freshly landed stocks the angler will find everything he requires at prices that show big savings. For example: New and special varieties of artificial flies; “Hexacane” split cane fly rods, beautifully made and suitable for wet or dry fly fishing; “Special” English split cane rods, splendid value at £3/5/-; waterproof lined fish bags 27/6; French pattern baskets 25/-; strong aluminium trout reels 11/6; Farlow’s “Hewitt” casts 3/-, etc Special 10 per cent, cash discount on all diamond engagement rings until December 31st. Fraser’s, jewellers, Stafford Street